does anyone know if the ayurvedic herbal smokes close to crown chakra?, rendering phowa ineffective..

I can't give you a definitive answer on whether it affects the crown chakra, but bottom line, it is not good for you and you shouldn't be under the impression that it is, regardless of what decision you choose to make. Any smoke that you inhale can have negative long term effects on your body. For example, smoking marijuana, though it doesn't have the negative chemicals of cigarettes, can still cause negative health consequences long term because you are inhaling burnt matter into your lungs. The same applies to ayurvedic herbal smokes. There is actually some recent research that suggests that even lighting medicinal incense can be bad for you if done regularly, and it's best to at least have some good ventilation if you do. So yes it's somewhat bad for you, but maybe not your crown chakra.

Tobacco has been demonised by modern western society. Prior to cigarettes tobacco illness was fairly rare. Nicotine does have some benefits, admittedly they are outweighed by their negatives, usually because the nicotine is administered by cigarettes. Swedish snus is considered a reasonably safe way to partake in tobacco if you are so inclined. However I have no medical training & would advise anyone considering going down this route to get some medical advice first.

ClearblueSky wrote: For example, smoking marijuana, though it doesn't have the negative chemicals of cigarettes, can still cause negative health consequences long term because you are inhaling burnt matter into your lungs.

For example? Which clinical studies are you citing? Oh, there aren't any since herb is illegal.

ClearblueSky wrote: For example, smoking marijuana, though it doesn't have the negative chemicals of cigarettes, can still cause negative health consequences long term because you are inhaling burnt matter into your lungs.

For example? Which clinical studies are you citing? Oh, there aren't any since herb is illegal.

Well actually that's not true, there's been multiple clinical studies, and there's been small continuous studies that government has actively allowed for years. But yes, because it is (for the most part) illegal, it's been way understudied, and there's a huge amount of conflicting results that have come out of them due to that. And when I say health consequences I'm referring to more minor things like bronchial/throat irritation, not cancer. In other words, at least in that case, effects that would be negated if consumed differently, not by burning. But anyways I won't hijack this into a thread about pot, my point is not about marijuana, but that repeated heavy inhalation of any smoke is generally not going to be good for you, at least in the short term.

shaunc swedish snus is even worse than cigarettes, it litereally works like acid on your body part where you put it, under your upper lip, it drills a bigger and bigger hole into your mouth the longer you use it and its there for good. and it has like 20 times the nicotine than one cigarette so its very dangerous, plus it has glass fiber in it. imo its much more damaging and poisonous than cigarettes. and your teeth go completely brown and your front tooth propably falls off after prolonged use.

If the thought of demons Never rises in your mind, You need not fear the demon hosts around you. It is most important to tame your mind within....

In so far as the Ultimate, or the true nature of being is concerned, there are neither buddhas or demons. He who frees himself from fear and hope, evil and virtue, will realize the insubstantial and groundless nature of confusion. Samsara will then appear as the mahamudra itself….

i would have liked to use the :puke: face but since there isnt i decided that the : crazy: face will do.

litereally that is gross and disgusting.

If the thought of demons Never rises in your mind, You need not fear the demon hosts around you. It is most important to tame your mind within....

In so far as the Ultimate, or the true nature of being is concerned, there are neither buddhas or demons. He who frees himself from fear and hope, evil and virtue, will realize the insubstantial and groundless nature of confusion. Samsara will then appear as the mahamudra itself….

and i think swedish snus is actually illegal in finland since it is very poisonous.

If the thought of demons Never rises in your mind, You need not fear the demon hosts around you. It is most important to tame your mind within....

In so far as the Ultimate, or the true nature of being is concerned, there are neither buddhas or demons. He who frees himself from fear and hope, evil and virtue, will realize the insubstantial and groundless nature of confusion. Samsara will then appear as the mahamudra itself….

KonchokZoepa wrote:and i think swedish snus is actually illegal in finland since it is very poisonous.

my Swedish-American grandfather (his parents were from a place called Norrköping which is hard to pronounce with a snoot full of snus) referred to his beloved Copenhagen chewing tobacco as "snoose." (note the Americanized spelling) Luckily for him Cope has no saltpeter, gunpowder, or fermented whatever it is that makes Swedish snus such a delight to the palate. The old boy lived to the age of 93, very disciplined to the end, but toothless.

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1. Liberation from the constant nagging of addiction, I wondered how I could ever manage to sit in retreat or achieve any stability in meditation [still working on that] if I couldn't keep the invasive thought of "Time for a cigarette" from rising.2. I've read from Chatral Rinpoche and others that smoking cigarettes renders Phowa ineffective due to some effect on the central channel [blocking?]

I used these as my primary motivators and the worldly stuff [improved health, more material wealth etc..] came naturally. Just like when we do our practice with proper motivation to achieve Buddhahood for all beings then worldly qualities spontaneously manifest.

i still have not stopped smoking cigarettes but sometimes i get the motivation, but not the willingness yet. work in progress.

If the thought of demons Never rises in your mind, You need not fear the demon hosts around you. It is most important to tame your mind within....

In so far as the Ultimate, or the true nature of being is concerned, there are neither buddhas or demons. He who frees himself from fear and hope, evil and virtue, will realize the insubstantial and groundless nature of confusion. Samsara will then appear as the mahamudra itself….

Following up on Vajralion, I don't know if it was mentioned or not, but in addition to HH Chatral Rinpoche's advice, HH Penor Rinpoche once taught at length about a demoness who vowed to hinder the Dharma and intentionally took rebirth as tobacco. I mentioned this back on eSangha and it caused an extensive discussion.

This may be a mostly Nyingma view.

However when you took refuge with HH Penor Rinpoche he explicitly said that you had to vow to not smoke tobacco. I know some of his students are tobacco smokers however but they sometimes say they are practicing to fulfill that vow in the future.

I always try to stay away from any inhaled smoke. Now that I don't go to clubs I thought that would be possible (and even discos and clubs here have now banned smoking as well). Unfortunately people in Baltimore smoke like it's Europe in the 80's or the USA < 1979. It's unavoidable. So I'm often breathing out forcefully.

KonchokZoepa wrote:thanks vajralion for your reply and the link. i appreciate it.i still have not stopped smoking cigarettes but sometimes i get the motivation, but not the willingness yet. work in progress.

No problem brother. I pray that you will be released from the grasps of the demoness tobacco!

and thanks Kirtu, ive always wondered because I must admit I have a Shivaite Saadhu like love of ganja. Ive just always figured since it is not regularly present like cigarette smoke it would not effect the crown chakra [if it does at all]

ཨོཾ Through blood, sweat and tears the solution appears: The pride needs defended by a Lion! ཨོཾ